A number of surgical device manufacturers have developed product lines with proprietary powered drive systems for operating and/or manipulating a surgical device. In many instances the surgical devices include a powered handle assembly, which is reusable, and a disposable end effector or the like that is selectively connected to the powered handle assembly prior to use and then disconnected from the powered handle assembly following use in order to be disposed of or in some instances sterilized for re-use.
Many of the existing end effectors for use with many of the existing powered surgical devices and/or handle assemblies are driven by a linear force. For example, end effectors for performing endo-gastrointestinal anastomosis procedures, end-to-end anastomosis procedures, and transverse anastomosis procedures, each typically require a linear driving force in order to be operated. As such, these end effectors are not compatible with surgical devices and/or handle assemblies that use a rotary motion to deliver power or the like.
In order to make the linear driven end effectors compatible with powered surgical devices and/or handle assemblies that use a rotary motion to deliver power, adapters and/or adapter assemblies are used to interface between and interconnect the linear driven end effectors with the powered rotary driven surgical devices and/or handle assemblies. Many of these adapter and/or adapter assemblies are complex devices including many parts that require extensive labor to assemble. Accordingly, a need exists to develop adapters and/or adapter assemblies that incorporate fewer parts, are less labor intensive to assemble, and are ultimately more economical to manufacture. In addition, a need exists for locking mechanisms which ensure proper coupling of an adapter/adapter assembly to an end effector.